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Scaffold

11-01-2011, 01:25 PM

I've had the material to build scaffold for the track loader for a few years now. I finally had a sign that I had to build 1/2 way in the ditch and the thought of lugging that heavy scaffolding out to the job site 1 more time & shoring up the low side & on soft ground to boot, I decided now was the time.

I had to get the sign up quick, so I got the scaffold done just far enough to use. I have a bunch of finish work to do, attachments to make & a rack to store it and the attachments on the trailer. but I am happy with it so far. It is so much more solid to work on than the scaffold I've been using for years.

I can pick it from the side or the end depending on work area restrictions.

A real time & back saver is being able to load everything on the deck before it goes up. Make shift 2''x4'' panel holders for now.

The ladders lock onto the ends and become adjustable legs to help support the deck. I plan to change these a little. I'm going to put receivers under the deck & have adjustable ladder brackets side in the receivers. The ladder rungs are 12'' apart, so it would be nicer to have a 6'' adjustment on the bracket to give me more ladder settings to level the deck. Also, the side I pick I'll make a latch that slides in the receiver to lock the deck to the track loader forks.

This set up gets me up 6' which covers a good share of what I do. (didn't cover this install though, so I had to use a step ladder still to reach the top). I plan to make a set of forks for the backhoe attachment that will get me up 11'. That will cover 99% of all the installations I do. Then I won't need that step ladder to reach the top of the sign anymore. Over reaching to put that last screw in rather than climb down to move the ladder over a foot should be a thing of the past now. Working off a sold deck rather than step ladders & extension ladders will be a welcome change, especially on windy days. I can't remember the times I've prayed a gust of wind wouldn't come along as I was teetering on a ladder with a 4'x8' panel or a 16' 2''x4''.

Still a long way from done, but this takes so much of the back work out of a sign installation, I'm motivated to get it done soon.

Comment

I'm just a one man shop working by myself, so I am the only liability. If you'd have seen the operation before this you'd shake your head, I did survive though. lol.
If I put the Bobcat supplied lock on the hyd. cylinders there's no place for it to go. Basically a scaffold with a 2,600 Lb. anchor to stabilize it. I'm so used to shaky ladders sitting on uneven ground. When the ladder bracket off the deck sets down on the ladder it is nice & solid. When I pick from the side I have a ladder for each end, so I'm blocked in from all 4 sides, but still have enough space to slide a sign panel past the ladders to install them. I'm usually on dirt but if I have to set up on a hard surface where the ladders could slide out I can always put a ratchet strap between them to keep them from slipping like a giraffe on ice. I'm just getting started on it, so It's a work in progress. I'll be adding things as I go to make it safer & more convenient to use, as I use it and see what it needs. I have a pretty long list already. The older I get the more important it is to be easy to use & safe to move around on as I'm not as agile as I once was.

Comment

I've got a basket we use on a forklift, like you said it's pretty handy.
It doesn't take a lot to make it legal. Top rail & mid rail, toe board, means of attaching to the machine. It's good to make the handrail to support scaffold planks or a pick board.
Tie off points have to meet the standard.
That was legal several years ago when we built it but they make rules pretty much round the clock.
JT

Some days you eat the bear. And some days the bear eats you.

Comment

It's a work in progress, not done at all. Like I said I had a job to get done so it was done just enough to get the sign up. If OSHA hasn't nailed me for the way I've been putting up signs the last 30+ years they should be pleased as punch with this set-up.

[ That was a joke. ]

I never intentionally try to antagonize OSHA or the IRS.

Back on the trailer to get it out of the way. I planned to work on it all day today, but I had to do sign stuff until about 2pm so about all I got done was cut the temporary ladder brackets off the ends & weld in receivers. I have a receiver bracket built to lock the Babcat forks in any location now. I still have to make up some receiver brackets to lock the ladders on the platform. I'd like to make them adjustable to make it easier to level the deck on uneven ground.

I still have a trailer rack to build also, and storage for the "stuff" that will go with the scaffold and a few other odds & ends.

Comment

It's still light enough to carry, not that I plan to. I like the little bobcat for getting into small spots, something I run into regularly (it will fit through a 36" door). This one will reach 11' when done, add my 6' and that's about as high as I need for nearly any job.

Comment

Spent the long weekend getting as much done on the scaffolding as possible. I have a couple things to do yet but I'm a little closer to calling it a done deal. the track loader isn't big enough to set the deck on the trailer & still pull the forks out of the receivers. That & there's no way to easily pick it from the end. So I decided a tilting storage rack would solve both problems.

Flipped the deck upside down & built the flip part of the rack on top.

Once I had it far enough along to bolt down to the trailer I worked on the storage for the railing parts

Got it this far along & then took it back off to do a little more work on the railing storage and the final welding & paint.